


You and Me Maybe Three

by Lady_Mischievous



Category: Tiger & Bunny
Genre: Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, F/M, M/M, Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-24
Updated: 2015-06-17
Packaged: 2018-03-03 03:42:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2836802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Mischievous/pseuds/Lady_Mischievous
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It had never been Tomoe's style to just simply go with the conventional. So when she's approached by two of the men she likes, who shall she choose? Does she even have to? A series of short stories about a strange romance between three friends.</p><p>(Updates: Chapter 4 is posted!)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Antonio sat on the park bench and looked for something to focus on. He couldn't bring himself to look at the beautiful girl sitting next to him. They were on a date, his first actual date, with his first actual girlfriend.  Antonio could feel his heart thumping in his chest as his face felt warm as blushed. He swallowed a lump in his throat and tried to speak up but his voice decided to be stubborn and wouldn't work. When he heard her sigh Antonio pushed himself to try again, not wanting her to get too bored waiting for him to make the first move.

 

He was surprised when could feel her delicate pinky finger sneak over and intertwine with his. It was ridiculous but Antonio felt almost like he was going to faint. He sucked in a breath, braced himself, and finally spoke up.

 

"I-is it alright if I kiss you, Tomoe?" Antonio cringed as he said those words. He must have sounded so lame.

 

When he heard Tomoe giggle Antonio felt his heart flutter. It wasn't a mocking sort of laughter that somebody would make if they were laughing at somebody else's misfortune. Instead this laughter was lighthearted and sweet; perfectly fitting for Tomoe Amamiya. Antonio couldn't stop the bashful smile that tugged at the corners of his lips.

 

"The first kiss on a first date? That's pretty bold, Kotetsu wouldn't even do it." Tomoe pointed out, as she recalled their first date. She couldn't help but giggle again at the thought. "Then again, he was trying to make sure he didn't accidentally kill himself on the ice rink. He actually _can_ skate, I've seen him do it before. I think he must have been nervous though."

 

"I can't blame him there but he's already clumsy enough as it is." Antonio laughed. It made him feel a little more at ease knowing that he wasn't the only one that was nervous about this 'little arrangement'.

 

If it was one thing that was for certain, it was the relationship between Antonio, Kotetsu, and Tomoe was a different one. The two boys didn't like each other much, that was no secret. They clashed and they fought and had a bitter rivalry going ever since their first fight. Despite that though, there was a little respect they had for each other, but it was far from a friendship. However one thing that both Antonio and Kotetsu had in common was that they both had strong feelings for Tomoe. To their shock and relief she cared just as much about them as well. The problem was that she had feelings for the _both of them_ and didn't see why she should have to choose only one. She refused to go out with either of them if they tried to fight or compete for her affections. The idea of being seen as a prize to be won simply didn't sit well with her. So in true Tomoe fashion, she suggested something that threw both of the boys for a loop.

 

Antonio was still a little unsure how he felt about the idea of 'polyamory'. It was difficult imagining how being in a relationship with more than one person would work. Growing up Catholic didn't help matters either, it left him a little torn because it was untraditional. Polyamory was new and foreign, Antonio felt a little uneasy about the concept when Tomoe explained it to Kotetsu and him. Yet, if it meant that they could be happy then he was willing to at least give it a try.

 

Antonio felt Tomoe's hand move and take hold of his. He could feel his heart beat harder in his chest when she scooted a little closer. Not being able to take the quiet anymore, Antonio turned his head and was about to say something. Instead he was met with Tomoe's smile and froze. She took the opportunity, leaned in, and gave Antonio a kiss.

 

When they parted Antonio felt a little relieved to see that Tomoe was blushing at that point too. As bold as she seemed, Tomoe was still feeling her way through this relationship too. Seeing the smile that was sneaking across her lips made Antonio wonder how silly he must of looked, gawking at her like a fool.

 

"How about we grab a bite to eat?" Tomoe asked as she started to get up from her seat on the park bench. "Something hot, maybe beef? It's great for this time of year." She was still blushing a little as she reached out for Antonio's hand.

 

"Uh, y-yeah, that sounds...perfect." Antonio laughed nervously when he found couldn't quite get his legs to work.

 

Obviously he was still a little stunned. He knew he was acting ridiculous, he had known her for a good while, so it should have been easy to date her, right? Antonio looked at Tomoe and hesitated for a brief moment before he took her hand. In all truth, he was afraid he would abruptly wake up and find that it was all a dream. It wouldn't have been the first time life played such a cruel joke on him.

 

With a bit of effort Tomoe helped pull Antonio up onto his feet. "Stop being such a silly cow!" she laughed, it seemed she was beginning to pick up some of Kotetsu's habits.

 

When Antonio felt Tomoe's dainty hand holding his as they made their way through the park, he started to feel more at ease. He felt lighter and everything in the park seem a little more beautiful than before. He was so happy, he knew it had to be real. Even if the relationship didn't last, Antonio was certain that he would never forget their date or that first kiss. It would be one of his most treasured memories.

 

-End of Chapter-


	2. Chapter 2

Kotetsu lazily stared out the window; he sat at a table in a more secluded corner the school's library. He was supposed to be doing his homework. He had fallen behind in his grades again which meant that he had to try to work harder at his studies. He was at risk and he knew it. He wasn't alone though, that much he knew. While never officially said, it was known among students that certain people were given a harder time than others. Of course some were delinquents but others were people that would never dream of causing trouble. The one thing that they all had in common was that they were NEXTs. Legally students couldn't be kicked out of school just for being a NEXTs, so instead other tactics were used to try and weed them out.

 

Kotetsu wasn't the best academic wise but even when he did try his hardest it seemed like he could never get a good score on his papers or tests. It wasn't until Tomoe took him aside one day to talk to him about his grades that they realized something was wrong. Kotetsu's work was being judged more harshly than the work of other students and it didn't take long to find out that he wasn't the only one. It disgusted Tomoe but there was little that could be done. Any attempt to bring up the subject of prejudice was either ignored or stamped out by higher ups in the staff. Tomoe's family was even called and there were threats of expulsion. Her parents, who were never fond of NEXTs themselves, forced her to end her 'little crusade', as they called it.

 

The whole debacle caused Kotetsu to retreat a little from Tomoe for a little while. He didn't want her to get into trouble over one of his problems. As his big brother put it, he was always causing some sort of trouble for people, even when he was trying to help. Muramasa probably had no idea how painfully aware Kotetsu was of that.

 

It wasn't the time to be thinking of such things though. Kotetsu sighed and tried to concentrate on his homework. He had it started and at first was making decent progress. He could do it, he just had to focus.

 

Twenty minutes later Kotetsu found himself watching the clouds as they lazily drifted by in the sky instead of doing his work. He tried to refocus his attention. But sometimes it'd be caught by a poster he hadn't noticed before or the noises of the sports teams practicing outside. In truth, his mind was all over the place, thinking of a million things at once. There was a building anxiety of his likelihood of flunking. Then his brain would abandon that thought for more trivial ones. Like how fun it looked to be on one of the sports teams, superheroes, and the groceries that he was supposed to pick up on his way home from school. His mind was like one big tangled mess. Kotetsu went from thought to thought, never able to settle down and focus on one for too long. He hated studying in the school library but he knew the distractions would be much worse if he tried to study at home.

 

Instead of getting back to work Kotetsu found himself doodling on his paper, his work once again forgotten. He gazed at little doodles he was drawing. There were doodles in the margins of his notes of a cow, a tiger, and a cat. It wasn't that difficult to figure out who was which animal. The drawings had the three of them in little scenes based on the trios' real-life misadventures. In one the cat would be scolding the cow and the tiger, who were both battered from a fight. In another a little drawing the three of them would be sitting and eating lunch together.

 

"Damn it..." Kotetsu mentally kicked himself for actually distracting himself. He gave an annoyed sigh as he felt his frustration grow. He had to graduate, there was no getting around it. He studied the requirements that were listed in the back of each 'Monthly Hero' Magazine. Every aspiring hero needed to have at least their high school degree. Kotetsu sucked in a breath and released it to help calm himself. "Come on Kotetsu, Mr. Legend could do it, you can too."

 

Kotetsu lightly bit his bottom lip and tried to focus on his work again. Just as he was to put his pencil to paper, his mind went blank. The tip of his pencil hovered over his notebook paper, waiting for Kotetsu to start writing. Try as he might he couldn't do it, his mind froze and he forgot what he was going to write down. Kotetsu tapped the pencil against the paper as he sat back in his chair. He tried to recollect his thoughts but his mind began to wander again. This time all he could think about was failing and how he wouldn't pass. Mental images of his latest test and homework scores flashed in his mind. Big blood red 'F's circled for emphasis. Failure, Kotetsu was a failure as a student, too stupid to have a future. He was a failure as a human, far too stupid and a mutant. 

 

"Who the hell am I kidding...?" he mumbled to himself and he pushed his notebook aside and buried his face into arms on the table. Thoughts of flunking high school and not being accepted by the Sternbild Justice Bureau to be a hero swirled in his head. The more he thought about it the more his heart pounded in his chest and his stomach churned, making him feel like he was going to be sick. Kotetsu quietly took a deep breath to try to calm himself but could feel hot tears threatening to leak from his eyes. He was a failure. "...I'm just too stupid."

 

"Are you slacking off again, Kotetsu?"

 

Kotetsu felt like he was about to throw up, he knew that voice. Tomoe, she was standing right in front of his table and there he was on the verge of crying. Maybe if he pretended to be asleep she would just give up and go away.

 

"Hey, don't you ignore me, I know you're awake!"

 

A nearby librarian shushed her for being too loud. Tomoe's face flushed red as she muttered a quiet apology. She looked back at Kotetsu and frowned. She walked around the table and took a seat next to him, setting her book bag down and setting up for study. She wasn't going anywhere; Kotetsu was just going to have to accept that.

 

Kotetsu swallowed a lump in his throat, not sure what he could do. He moved to get up and collect his things so he could leave. There was no point in doing anything else anyway. He stopped when he felt something yank on his arm, Tomoe held onto him and wasn't about to let him go.

 

Kotetsu gave a tired sigh and waited for a moment, hoping Tomoe would let go. When she didn't he finally spoke, "I gotta go home, I have to help out at the shop."

 

"Well I'm sure they'll understand. I already know you're struggling with your grades."

 

"You're keeping tabs on me?" Kotetsu asked, a half laugh escaped him. He heard the librarian tell them to shush and quieted down.

 

Tomoe blushed a little and looked away from him, a small pout displayed on her face. She kept hold of Kotetsu's arm, not willing to give him a chance to escape. She spoke quietly, in case there was anyone nearby, "Well, we _are_ going out."

 

Hearing that helped lift a little of the gloom Kotetsu felt and he gave a small smile. The idea of being in love and someone loving him back took a little getting used to. He had spent years keeping people at a safe distance, both for their safety and his own. Letting down those defenses was harder than he wanted to admit but Tomoe was worth it.

 

"Come on; let me have a look at your homework." Tomoe said, keeping her voice low. "I'll help you with what you don't understand."

 

Kotetsu hesitated for a moment before he let her look at his notebook. He nibbled a little on his bottom lip. He hoped Tomoe wouldn't yell at him for the catastrophe that was his homework.

 

Of course the first thing that caught Tomoe's attention were the doodles but she wasn't going to point those out. They were cute and she could easily guess who they were supposed to be. She tried to stay focused on the actual work on the paper.

 

"What kind of problems are you having?" Tomoe asked. The work on the paper didn't seem too bad but it was easy to tell that Kotetsu got distracted pretty often.

 

Kotetsu stared down at the table and let his eyes follow the lines, cracks, and carved messages left behind by students in the past. He was distracting himself again, he didn't want to talk about it. If he talked about it then Tomoe would probably just say he was lazy. At least that was what everyone else said. Kotetsu was brought back from his thoughts when he noticed Tomoe was snapping her fingers next to his face.

 

"You're really spacing out." Tomoe pointed out. "Are you okay?"

 

"Ah, heh, heh! Sorry! You know me, this stuff is just way over my head!" Kotetsu said with a sheepish smile. He tried to sound like he was joking and that he was laughing at himself. He went on and tried to sound carefree and reached out to take his notebook back. "Besides, it's not like heroes really need to know this stupid stuff. So why worry about it, right?"

 

Tomoe frowned at him and slid his notebook away and out of his reach. "As if I'm going to fall for that, I know you better than that. Come on, tell me what's going on. You can't keep secrets from me forever, don't you trust me at all?"

 

"Wha-...Y-yeah...I" Kotetsu's words died in his throat. He opened his mouth again to try to speak but then closed it when he couldn't get his voice to work. There was no real argument he could give. Tomoe was right, he was still keeping her at a distance. Kotetsu gave a short sigh and after one last moment of awkward silence he finally started to talk, "I have problems focusing on stuff sometimes." He had to force the words out at first but it soon became easier. "My mind kind of just goes everywhere or I get distracted easily or I forget things at stupid times. it's always been like that, I'm a dumbass." he finished with small laugh and a shrug, trying to play it off like it didn't bother him.

 

"You really need to stop doing that. Self-deprecation isn't cute, Kotetsu." Tomoe quietly scolded him. She tried to be careful not to anger the librarian anymore than they already had. She then took a moment think over about what he said and continued to look over his notes. "Have you ever thought of going and getting checked out by a doctor? It sounds like you might have ADHD."

 

Kotetsu frowned a little, his eyes moved from Tomoe to his notebook. Then from his notebook to a nearby poster, and finally he gazed out the window. "That kind of came up once a while back. But Mom doesn't really believe in that kind of stuff, she says I'm just being lazy."

 

"Well, what do you think? Do _you_ think you're just being lazy?"

 

"Probably..." Kotetsu said as his eyes searched for something to focus on. The conversation was starting to make him uncomfortable. "I mean, it's better than having something else wrong with me, right?"

 

Tomoe frowned a little but she couldn't say that she was all that surprised. It was the common attitude towards such things. Her own parents had similar beliefs. They often said that doctors wanted to find labels for everything just so they could make money off of it. The problem that people couldn't see was how such attitudes could be damaging to their own children. It made issues that could actually be helped become sources of shame. Chances were that Kotetsu was well aware that the issue probably wasn't laziness. Like many others he looked to the excuses given by his parents as a way to pretend nothing was wrong.

 

"Uh, ya know, that's enough studying for now, I gotta get home. Thanks for trying to help though, Tomoe." Kotetsu said as he offered her a smile. He got up from his seat and started to collect his things from the table. He only paused when Tomoe took hold of one of his hands. He could feel his face heat up a little as he blushed and he looked away from her.

 

"I don't mind helping you, I want to see you pass and get your diploma." Tomoe said, she tried gave him a reassuring smile and lightly squeezed his hand. "You can't weasel out of it. It's a requirement for being approved by the justice bureau. I'm sure you knew that, so you can't give up, okay?"

 

Kotetsu quietly settled back down in his seat. He looked at her, his smile had become more weary but was still there. "You know I'm probably gonna frustrate the hell out of you, right? Are you sure you really want to put up with me?"

 

"I'm sure." Tomoe said firmly with a smile and a nod. "Come on, let's focus and get this done."

 

As they worked together Tomoe thought about how she could set up study groups for struggling NEXTs. She knew she wasn't the only one that felt what was happening was unfair and cruel. Tomoe would have to carefully pick out who she could really trust out of the student council. The last thing she wanted was to have NEXT haters in the faculty to try to interfere. But before she could think too much about that she wanted to start small and focus on her boys. Tomoe wanted to see Kotetsu, Antonio, and other NEXT graduate and have hope for a brighter future.

 

-End of chapter-


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo! I’m not dead. I’m still here and trying to get the rust off my writing. So to help get back in the swing I’ve gone back and revisited Chapter 3 of this fic. Chapters 4 and 5 are currently in the works. In other news this fic is also available on FF.Net too now.

With a loud clatter it seemed like Kotetsu's luck was a little better that day. It was a hot day for spring, just another sign that summer was around the corner. School had ended and Kotetsu had finished his homework in the library. Tomoe couldn't stay to help him this time, she had work to do with student council and planning upcoming school events. Summer vacation was inching closer and closer and with that came in a lot of activities and events to prepare for and hope would go off without much of a hitch. Kotetsu was always thankful for her help but he was glad that she focused on the things that she needed to do this time. Besides he felt a little more confident in his work this time, he would be fine. That thought and the fact that school had just ended for the day made things feel a little better. Kotetsu crouched down and claimed his prizes from the vending machine.

 

An extra soda pop, a simple but rare stroke of luck. Sometimes it was hard enough to get one drink from these old junky machines. There were times where they would get stuck or the machine would just decide the money. The vending machines were old, with chipped paint and rusted in some spots, they definitely had seen better days. Getting two drinks for the price of one was a nice mini miracle and hopefully a good omen. Kotetsu looked at the extra drink and smiled as he put the sodas in his bag. He figured that he could give one of them to Tomoe, though he wasn't fully sure if she liked soda that much yet.

 

It had been almost three months since Tomoe convinced him and Antonio to try polyamory. It took a lot of getting used to, not only to the unconventional idea polyamory but just the idea of dating on its own. Just where do you start? He had been together with Tomoe as a friend but how does one move from friend to something more romantic? Kotetsu knew how he felt but how to take that one step at a time was the mystery. Not to mention there was also Antonio in the mix.

 

Tomoe refused to pick one of them, she liked them both and they both liked her. It was worse than the equations in math class.Who was 'x' and who was 'y'? How do you divide time to be spent fairly? Just what percentage was Tomoe's feelings towards 'x'? Was it greater or equal to 'y''s? Why was he making this into a math problem? It was so stupid! Kotetsu frowned, he felt a little dizzy just by thinking about polyamory and math. But there was one thing that he couldn't deny and that was the natural feeling of competition. However, Tomoe refused to be fought over like a piece of meat. When it was put that way Kotetsu had a better understanding why she didn't like the idea of being fought over. Tomoe was a person, not a prize, she deserved better than to be treated like an object.

 

Like, love, romance and feelings were stupidly complicated. Tomoe was beautiful, she looked delicate and refined. Kotetsu could remember at times when he felt butterflies in his stomach when he would see her. She was smart and had her little quirks that made her fascinating and made him laugh. She could be easy to anger and had a surprisingly good punch. It was a strength he respected. Kotetsu knew how he felt, he was certain that he was in love with Tomoe.

 

The trouble was knowing how you feel and saying didn't always connect. Kotetsu was all too well aware of his problems with speech. He was clumsy with speaking, stumbling over his sentences or getting stuck on which words he should use. He'd mess up and feel a rush of anxiety and mess up more. Kotetsu was well aware that he was useless with words when speaking. However, Tomoe pointed out that he was surprisingly good at writing when he applied himself.

 

A letter might be good idea. Take time to sit down and think about what he really wanted to say. The idea that he was good with words and writing, that he was actually good at something like that made him feel happy. What could it hurt? If he messed it up he'd say it was a joke and try harder next time. He had to keep trying even if he failed. It was what he learned from her.

 

But that was something he would have to think about later. Kotetsu me to focus on getting home. The last thing he needed was to be thinking about love letters and end up tripping over his own spindly legs and falling into traffic. Then he really would lose to Antonio, in the most macabre and stupid way ever.

 

"Here lies Kotetsu T. Kaburagi. The idiot that walked right into a truck." He laughed at his own grim joke and continued on his way.

 

He was reaching the gates of the school and as he approached his gaze drifted from their goal. Everything was so distracting, the sounds of the students running on the track in the fields. Participating in their sports teams and preparing for competitions. It looks like a lot of work but at the same time it looked like a lot of fun. He could see the students talking amongst their teammates, they had friends with the teams. Or even the entire team itself was like a group of friends.

 

He envied them.

 

No he didn't! Heroes- or at least heroes in training, weren't supposed to feel things like envy. It was a bad way to be the only invited bad karma. Heroes were brave, strong, and believed in justice. Besides, he made a few friends, they were more acquaintances but they were friendly. They were usually people that Kotetsu met after interfering with bullying. Whether NEXT or normal human Kotetsu couldn't stand people being bullied. Especially since he deal with years of it himself. He was going to be a hero any, wasn't he? Then it was only right for him to stand up for other people, right? Heroes were good and good people shouldn't envy.

 

But Kotetsu was not a hero, he was a teenager. A kid that didn't have many friends because of something he couldn't help. Kotetsu stopped walking and stared out at the kids that had normal lives and no mutant powers. He looked down at one of his hands and flexed at once, then twice. He could crush somebody's head all too easily with that hand and that was frightening. It was like being a tiger amongst a bunch of ordinary house cats. In one way they were all the same thing in another he something completely different.

 

Kotetsu knew how easily he could lose control of his powers. If he got too scared, angry or even too excited sometimes that blue glow would flare up and something would get broken.

 

He was still seen as a freak despite all his good intentions. Not to mention being the one to stand up for others has a lot of downsides. Kotetsu would chase off bullies, which usually led to fighting, which he never lost. (Roughhousing and throwing punches with Muramasa taught him enough on how to hold his own in a fight.) That of course attracted more unwanted attention. He get challenges from random punks or gangs looking to test their mettle against the Kaburagi kid. Which led to even more fights and more victories and more challenges. Tomoe never liked that Kotetsu got into so many fights but the fights came to him and he didn't like to lose.

 

Sour. This whole spiral of thinking of things he couldn't help just made everything taste sour. That was the best way, Kotetsu could describe it. He shoved his hands into his pockets and continued his way out of the school gates. He kicked the rocks as he walked alongside the road, trying not to focus on anything in particular. The last thing he needed was to think about anything else that would start to piss him off.

 

Perhaps Muramasa was right, he needed a hobby or at least a second job. What was it he would say? 'Idle hands are the devil's tools'? Then again Muramasa was an idiot so what did it matter? Kotetsu would just go home, eat and take a long nap.

 

Kotetsu sucked in a breath and gave a short sigh. I was a pretty solid plan, he would stick with that. Or at least he would have if he hadn't caught sight of a certain bullish teen. 

 

Kotetsu's footsteps came to a halt when he saw Antonio Lopez. The oversized brute was standing on the bank of a river that flowed not that far from school. His book bag rested on the ground next to as he stared out at the water with his hands in his pockets. Just what was that guy doing there any way?

 

Kotetsu scanned the riverbank, he didn't see any of Antonio's gang. Usually they weren't all that far from him was after school. Unless of course he had plans with Tomoe. Kotetsu frowned at the thought. Maybe he was meeting with her here?

  
Kotetsu's mind started think again about stupid equations of love and polyamory. He quickly tried to shake his head free of that mess. Their rivalry may have cooled over the past three months but they weren't friendly. They still tended to clash and bicker but since they were both dating Tomoe they had to watch themselves around her. She made the rule perfectly clear: no fighting over her or they would both lose.

 

Normally that would just mean that they kept a good distance from each other. They were gone their own dates with Tomoe and try to leave each other alone. It was such a sour day though, frustration and resentment swirled within Kotetsu liked brewing storm. He was actually itching for a fight. Just something to get his frustrations out.

 

But could he really just pick a fight with Antonio like that? Just because he was pissed? Maybe he could try something different. They were both NEXTs, they both like the same girl, and even if Antonio was punk maybe they had a couple of other things in common. Maybe just a 'hello'? There was nothing wrong in  _trying_  to get along, was there?

 

With that thought in mind Kotetsu walked towards Antonio.

 

"Yo, Lopez!"

 

Antonio seemed a little startled when he heard somebody suddenly call his name. He looked over his shoulder and frowned slightly when he spotted Kotetsu approaching him. "What do ya want Kaburagi?"

 

"Nothing, I was wondering why you were standing out here. You waiting for Tomoe or something?" Kotetsu asked. It took a surprising amount of effort just to start an innocent conversation. He paused, noticing the harsh look that Antonio was giving him. He was sure he didn't say anything stupid so it was probably just Lopez being a stubborn bull. "She has student council stuff to do today."

 

"I know that, I'm not stupid." Antonio snapped, he was obviously annoyed with Kotetsu's attempt at being helpful. He looked at Kotetsu suspiciously, Antonio did respect that the guy had a sense of honor but he was still a weirdo all the same. They didn't know each other well but he could tell Kaburagi was a meddler. "What are you bothering me for? Don't you have something better to do?"

 

Kotetsu's brows knit together in a disappointed frown. Well that was a total failure. He didn't even know what he did that rubbed that stubborn bull the wrong way. Kotetsu sucked in a breath and let it out in a short sigh. It was obvious that this conversation was about to crash and burn before it had a chance to start. No point in being around the bush now, might as well be honest. "No not really, I'm bored. I was just wondering why you were standing out here staring at the water like a weirdo."

 

Antonio blinked and at first looked confused but that confusion quickly shifted to anger."I'm not the one that's weird, jackass!"

 

"Then what are you doing out here?" Kotetsu asked. "Not gonna lie, it's kind of creepy."

 

"Why the hell do you want to know?" Antonio snapped defensively. His fist clenched wanting nothing more than to punch Kaburagi right in the face. Not only did he call him 'weird' but was he saying he was a creep too? The urge to kick Kotetsu's ass was reaching full boil. Antonio was just about ready to march up and slug him in the stomach. But just as he took his first step he thought about Tomoe. The mental image of her looking at him so disappointedly was enough to stop him from taking another step. "Just get outta here ya little pest!"

 

Kotetsu frowned and scratched the back of his head. He didn't know why Lopez was getting so worked up. Was it something he said? He took a short moment to think about what he had said to him but nothing really sounded bad. Well, maybe 'creepy' was the wrong word. But still wasn't something we get all that worked up about, was it? "Damn Lopez, you really are a weird guy."

 

"I'M NOT WEIRD!"

 

Kotetsu jumped at the sudden outburst. It finally clicked all too late just how bad that must've sounded. He gave a nervous laugh and tried to correct himself, "Ah...Yeah wait, that was probably the wrong word." He hurriedly racked his brain to find a better word for what he was trying to say. "Uhhh...'Sensitive'? You're a sensitive guy?"

 

"Are you calling me a  _pansy_?" Antonio glared at him darkly.

 

"What? No!" He mentally kicked himself for the misunderstanding. Kotetsu raked his fingers through his hair and bit his bottom lip. He could feel temper starting to wear thin from his own frustration. "Aw fuck it, look Lopez I'm just trying to be friendly, okay?"

 

Antonio blinked and gave Kotetsu an odd look. "What? Why are you trying to be friendly with me?"

 

"Might as well try, right?" Kotetsu shrugged and looked away from Antonio. "I mean we're both dating the same girl." His words carried a tone of annoyance that wasn't unnoticeable.

 

Antonio picked up on it right away, a smug smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "You could always back out, Kaburagi."

 

Kotetsu glared back at him, a slight shiver ran through his spine when he heard a hint of a challenge in Antonio's voice. He remembered all too quickly that itch for a fight. "Fuck you Lopez, I saw her first."

 

"I fell for her first." Antonio replied. His smirk never left his face; it only grew even more smug. "Or at least I acted first."

 

"Oh would you shut up?!" Kotetsu snapped. He took a breath tried to calm down before he'd end up throwing a punch at the guy. "Stop trying to get me pissed off! Tomoe said she didn't want us fighting over her, remember?"

 

Antonio blinked and looked a little surprised as he just to remembered that little detail too. He reached up and ran his fingers through his hair as he averted his gaze from Kotetsu. "You started it with that 'I saw her first' bullshit." he said while making a poorly attempted imitation of the other boy's voice.

 

"No  _you_  started it by saying I should back out, ya dumbass cow."

 Antonio reached out and prodded the shorter boy in the chest with his finger. "No,  _you_  started it when  _you_  walked over and talked to  _me_. You are a god damned dumb as dog shit idiot, Kabura-!" What he got as a response was Kotetsu grabbing the front of his jacket, pulling him forward, and being met with a head butt right to the face. Antonio stumbled back, his hands immediately went to his forehead to nurse it.

 

"I'm trying to get along with you, ya fuckhead!" Kotetsu shouted. He did his best to pretend that his own head wasn't hurting. He mentally cursed both the bullish teen and his stupidly thick skull.

 

Antonio looked up at him seeing red, his face twisted into a snarl and like a bull charged at the smaller teen. Kotetsu was about to charge as well. But before he could even finish taking his first step something flew through the air and hit him right in the face. He toppled over and was on the ground rubbing his punished cheek. Kotetsu looked over at the object that hit him and saw that it was a school bag.

 

Both boys quickly looked where school bag flew and were met with a furious looking Tomoe Amamiya. The color immediately began to drain from their faces and they broke eye contact with her. Kotetsu and Antonio mentally went over a million excuses for the inevitable question she was going to ask.

 

Tomoe's glare became harsher and she spoke up in a sharp tone. "What did I tell you two about fighting?"

 

"W-We weren't fighting!" Antonio blurted out first. He flinched when Tomoe focused on him. He may have had the ability to make his skin tougher than steel but Antonio had dealt with strict women his whole life. Seeing his own mother's patience wear thin was enough to scare the fight out of him pretty quick. Tomoe was a little like her that way, it made lying to her all the more difficult.

 

"Oh really?" Tomoe spoke slowly, her voice dripped with skepticism. Her glare lessened but didn't leave. She placed her hands on her hips and continued. "Then what were you two just doing that needed you two to crack each other's skulls?"

 

Antonio's eyes widened slightly and he bit his lip. He glanced at Kotetsu, who looked back at him just as much at a loss of what to say. He then looked back at Tomoe, who was still waiting for an answer. "Kotetsu was..." Antonio could easily pin the blame on him, but Tomoe would probably be expecting that. He looked at Kotetsu who looked back at him with pleading eyes, not wanting to be thrown under the bus. "He was...uh...Helping me with practice!"

 

"Practice?" Tomoe blinked and gave him an odd look. "For what?"

 

"Kotetsu offered to be my sparring partner, I have a judo tournament coming up." Antonio explained. It wasn't really a lie, it was  _half_  a truth. Half the truth was better than no truth, right? "Yeah, go...whatever the hell this school's mascot is...?"

 

Tomoe stared at him blankly for a moment but without warning a small laugh escaped her. She quickly tried to cover it up but it was no use. Tomoe could see both boys were watching her tensely, hoping against hope that she would believe him. She finally sighed and rolled her eyes at them. "You're lucky that I do know about that tournament or else I wouldn't buy that excuse for a second, Antonio."

 

Antonio gave a short nervous laugh and rubbed the back of his neck.

 

"I guess sparring isn't so bad, as long as it's to help each other." Tomoe said thoughtfully. If it was true that was a better alternative than them just slugging each other silly over her. They had a respect for each other born from fighting, maybe they can also start a friendship. At least that's what she hoped.

She walked over towards Kotetsu, who was still on the ground, and picked up her book bag. She dusted it off and then looked at them again. "I wish I could hang out with both of you today but I have to have home early. The meeting ran up that way and I have to catch up on some studying. But I like that idea of you guys sparring together. I think that would help out Antonio a lot and might be fun for Kotetsu too."

 

The boys both smiled, silently saying thanks to whatever higher power there was out there.

 

"I'm expecting you to be in great form for the tournament, Antonio. I don't think you could've asked for a better sparring partner. Have fun but please try to stay out of trouble, alright?" With that said Tomoe turned around and hurried to join her friends that were all walking home together.

 

Both boys moved in close and wrapped an arm around each other shoulder and waved goodbye to Tomoe as she walked away. Both played the part of getting along and being carefree friends until she was out of sight. Without warning Anotnio shoved Kotetsu away and let him flop on the ground.

 

"That was too damn close..." He sighed. Antonio took a brief moment to fix his disheveled hair. He missed a few strands a couple of bangs defiantly hung in front of his face. His gaze landed on Kotetsu who lazily remained on the ground sprawled out.

 

Kotetsu stared up at the sky and watched as clouds drifted by lazily. What he wouldn't give to be a cloud at that moment. To sail through the sky without a care in the world. He didn't care that he was lying on the ground like a discarded ragdoll. Kotetsu was exhausted from the whole ordeal. The ground was hard but the grass was slightly comfy and the weather was warm. He could fall asleep there if he wanted to. But one question kept floating around in his head and nagged at him, demanding to be asked.

 

"Hey Lopez, do you  _really_  know judo?"

 

Antonio looked at Kotetsu with a frown, what kind of stupid question was that? "Yeah, I said it earlier didn't I? I'm on the school's judo team."

 

"Seriously?" Kotetsu said with surprise. That was enough to tuck them away from the temptation of sleep. With a little bit of effort he forced himself to sit up so he could have better eye contact with the bigger teen. "They let  _you_  be on a school team?"

 

"You saying I can't be?" Antonio snorted, he looked a little offended. He crossed his arms over his chest and spoke up in a defensive tone, "Do you think there's something  _wrong_  with me being on a team?"

 

"What? No, no! It's cool! I didn't know that they let NEXTs be on the sports teams." Kotetsu gave a sheepish smile, hoping that Antonio understood. He hesitated for a moment before speaking again, "I can't join the sports teams. I can't even take gym class because of my powers. Other NEXTs I know aren't allowed to do that stuff either. The teachers said it could be seen as cheating or dangerous for classmates."

 

"Oh, so that's what it is..." Antonio looked away from Kotetsu; he was quiet and seemed to be mentally debating if he should continue. He chanced another short look at him and saw the Kaburagi seemed to be waiting to hear more. Antonio was a little reluctant but he finally forced himself to speak. "I'm not registered on the school's list of NEXT students."

 

Kotetsu's eyes went wide with surprise. "Whoa, for real? Hold on, how did you manage  _that_?"

 

"I got my powers when I was three, which was before they made that a policy." Antonio began to explain. He made it sound like it was the most natural thing in the world. But something in his eyes gave a way that he was a little uneasy talking about it. "By the time it became a required thing I could control my power. Ma told me I should hide it so I don't get put on stupid lists like that."

 

Kotetsu canted his head to the side and frowned a little. "But you showed it off when you wanted to fight me. I can't be the first one you've done that too. Are people so scared of you and your friends that they won't say anything?"

 

"Those guys aren't my friends; they just follow me around because I'm stronger than them. They'll keep their mouths shut if they know what's good for them." Antonio corrected him. Kotetsu could hear a bit of bitterness in his voice.

 

"Wow, so I guess that means that you're a no friend loser." Kotetsu said bluntly. An impish smirk spread across his face when he saw Antonio turn a brilliant shade of red. "Red looks good on you~!"

 

"SHADDUP, YA LITTLE FUCK!"

 

"Take it easy! I'm just messing with you!" Kotetsu laughed. It was really fun to tease Antonio, the guy was too tense and needed to have some fun. He smiled up at him and said: "It's cool that you get to be on a team. You're a really strong guy too, I bet you kick a lot of ass!"

 

By this point Antonio had calmed down. He was still little red in the face but it wasn't so much from embarrassment. That look of admiration from Kaburagi made him feel a little flattered. It was also probably the first time that he got a good look at Kotetsu's eyes. They were a strange honey color, they were wild but still nice to look at.

 

Antonio blinked and then broke eye contact with Kotetsu, feeling awkward for staring. "It's something to do. I have to cut down on fighting and hanging out with the gang. Tomoe made me promise and I have to help out more at home anyway. Tomoe's scary when she's angry. I mean it's kinda cute but only when it's not directed at you."

 

Kotetsu smiled and laughed. "I hear you there. Oh man, she gets on my case all the time!"

 

"That's your own fault." Antonio said flatly and pointed at Kotetsu accusingly. "You're always getting into trouble because you're a little shit."

 

"Hey, I don't ask for people to come at me with all these stupid challenges!" Kotetsu retorted with a small huff. "I mean, yeah I've picked a couple fights here and there but only for a good reason."

 

This time Antonio snorted. He wondered what Kotetsu would consider a 'good reason'. He was a hero freak, just like Tomoe. It had probably something to do with honor or justice or some crap like that. That thought brought him back briefly to that day they first met and what he said about using his powers to help people. Kotetsu was a dumbass but he had honor and he could respect that.

 

"To answer your question earlier, I was out here considering if I should practice or not." Antonio finally admitted. It was odd but he was starting to feel more at ease around Kaburagi. He was still an idiot bastard, of course, but he had a strange magnetic charm to him all the same. "I wasn't lying about the tournament that's coming up."

 

Again Antonio caught that gleam of admiration and the other boy's eyes. For the briefest moment they shined like amber. Kotetsu obviously wanted to say something but he seemed to be carefully trying to pick out his words.

 

"Well Tomoe did say she liked the idea of us being sparring partners, right?" Kotetsu began, praying that he didn't screw up communications this time. "I wouldn't mind sparring with you if you need some a practice with."

 

Antonio was quiet for a moment. He had to admit he admired Kotetsu's persistence, he wouldn't say so of course. But Kaburagi really seemed to be trying to get along. Antonio's own defensiveness wasn't helping matters either. He had to admit that he was just as much to blame for the fight earlier as Kotetsu was. He owed him a chance.

 

"That sounds like an idea." Antonio said, not quite able to let himself at the word 'good' to that statement. "I could use the help. I can even teach you a bit of what I learned."

 

Kotetsu looked a little shocked at first, then a smile flashed across his face and he thanked him. It was then a small thought popped up in his head. He grabbed his school bag, opened it and rummaged through it. He then pulled out a glass bottle of soda and offered it to Antonio. His smile was more subtle but still there. "Here, I got an extra on accident. It's kinda hot today so you can have it."

 

"Uh..." Antonio eyed the offered beverage wearily for a moment and then met eyes with Kotetsu. "I don't like sweets." He could see Kaburagi's smile wane as he started to look a little embarrassed. He hesitantly started to take the soda back but Antonio reached out and plucked it from his hand. "But you're right about it being hot. Thanks, Kaburagi."

 

The image of Kotetsu's smile lingered in his mind. Now that Antonio thought of it was one of the few genuine smiles he had seen from him since they first met. He liked it. He could feel smile of his own tugging at the corner of his reluctant mouth. The two sat together by the riverbank and watched the river as it flowed by and filled the air with chatter.

 

Antonio stole a glance at him as he sipped his drink, enduring it's sickeningly sweet taste. Kotetsu T. Kaburagi, the strange punk with beautiful eyes. He was odd as hell but maybe,  _just maybe_ , Antonio liked the idea of them being friends.

 

-End of Chapter-


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 4! Comments and feedback are welcome and appreciated! I hope that you enjoy!

The cannonball whistled as a tore through the air, it was barely more than a speeding black blur. As soon as it met the side of the ship there was an explosion of splintered word and fire. The crew aboard the fleeing pirate ship scrambled aboard the deck. Many of the crew scrambled to put out fires. The rest were unsheathing their swords or heading to their own cannons to fire back at their pursuers.

 

The helmsman turned the wheel of their ship so that they could move into a better position to fire back. At the call of fire cannon after cannon roared as they shot back and sent a volley towards the enemy ship.

 

A woman dressed in fine noble clothing watched as the battle began. Her face full of worry as she watched the pursuing ship take the cannon fire. A smile lit up her face when she saw that it managed to survive and it pushed forward in chasing after them. She braced herself as the pirate ship shook after another round of cannon fire. She felt the grip on her arm tighten and looked up defiantly at the pirate Captain. "See? I told you that he was going to come for me! Your end will be at the tip of his sword!"

 

Tomoe's eyes were glued to the large screen that the movie was projected on. She silently mouthed the kidnapped woman's lines as she said them. She could feel her heart pound in her chest as she watched the battle continue. She had watched this movie before, and enough to know the lines and the outcome. But that didn't stop her from loving every moment of it. The story, the battles, the romance and the glamorous actors, it always managed to suck her into their world.

 

The sound of a yawn told her back to the real world. Tomoe blinked and cast a glance to the person next to her. Kotetsu was sitting back in his chair watching the movie in silence. He had finished his drink and popcorn a long time ago. Tomoe could of sworn that he had a black hole for a stomach. Right now she was more worried if he was enjoying the film at all. It hadn't been like with Antonio, where he openly expressed that classic movies were not his thing. No, Kotetsu simply agreed to go and hadn't made any comment throughout the film. His silence made her worry, was he enjoying this at all?

 

Kotetsu didn't seem to notice her staring, his eyes stayed locked to the screen as the climactic battle started.

 

After a silent moment to moment I decided to ask: "Are you bored?"

 

"Shh..." Was all she got in reply.

 

Tomoe frowned, at first thinking that was a little rude. It then dawned on her that what she did was actually rather rude so she looked back at the screen and decided to ask when the movie was over.

 

It wasn't too long before the actors shared a passionate kiss and the credits began to roll. Light slowly returned to the movie theater and the sparse audience began to leave. Kotetsu was the first to stand up, he shoved his hands into his pockets and watched some of the credits as he waited for Tomoe.

 

"Sorry the movie was a little corny, I guess you're not into that kind of thing, huh?" Tomoe apologized as she stood up from her seat.

 

"No, it was the movie. It's not my favorite but I do like those actors. I see them more in movies where they're dancing and singing instead of fighting pirates." Kotetsu explained as he and Tomoe walked towards the exit.

 

Tomoe blinked and looked at him confused. "You mean you like classic movies?"

 

"Grandma and grandpa would take me to watch them when I was little. When grandma's in town sometimes we go to watch them at the cinema." Kotetsu explained with a fond smile.

 

"Oh, I see, so you grew up seeing them?" Tomoe asked, feeling a little more comfortable. It was nice to know, cheering a little worried that she enforce Kotetsu and something he didn't want to do. She felt bad after trying to get Antonio to watch classic movies with her and he couldn't enjoy them. "Do you like them at all?"

 

"Yeah, I love James Cagney movies."

 

A smile tugged at the corner of Tomoe's mouth. Of course he would like James Cagney, Kotetsu would love to see another tough guy.

 

"He didn't just do gangster movies, he was funny and could sing and dance too." Kotetsu added. They were walking down the hallway to the lobby, the air carried the scent of buttered popcorn. Kotetsu's stomach growled loudly and he gave a sheepish smile as he rested a hand on it. He tried to keep his mind off of hunger by looking at the posters that line the hallway walls. Most were of upcoming and new titles that were playing in theater while others were of classic movies.

 

"So you like gangster movies and musicals?" Tomoe asked, he hadn't quite expected that from him. But then again, she might not of been giving Kotetsu enough credit.

 

Kotetsu was still looking at the posters, he paused when he saw one for A Midsummer's Night Dream. "Grandpa loved gangster movies and Cagney too. They were both tough guys. Grandma always loved musicals and I'll admit I sorta like watching the dancing."

 

Tomoe smiled, glad that the date had gone better than she hoped. Without warning she reached over, and gently slipped her hand into Kotetsu's and held it. It caught him by surprise as his concentration was immediately pulled away from poster and he looked at her curiously. Kotetsu could feel his heart start to beat harder in his rib cage when their eyes met. His face started to feel hot and was getting a little lightheaded. This was ridiculous! Getting so worked up over something as simple as handholding?

 

Kotetsu looked at Tomoe and opened his mouth to apologize for acting so stupid. He wanted to tell her it wasn't her fault, he was just afraid. Instead he was met with a smile and all the words he wanted to say died in his throat. She already knew why he was keeping small barrier between them when it came to things physically intimate.

 

It was different when he was sparring with Antonio or fighting off local punks. Kotetsu felt more confident in his control over his power. But this, romance and the intimacy that came with it, it scared him. It made is heart race and over excited him. The control he had over his power that he worked so hard for felt like nothing more than a thread that was about to snap.

 

Kotetsu looked away from her and as gently as he could squeezed her hand back. His hand was rigid and tense as he tried to keep his grip and complete control, out of fear that his powers might activate, just to spite him.

 

Tomoe broke the awkward silence by continuing to talk about movies as they walked through the lobby. She pointed at posters for new films that were coming that she would love to see. It was a simple tactic but it got results, she could Kotetsu's hand start to relax.

 

 _'It's progress.'_ Is what she told herself.

 

Tomoe would have loved nothing more than to kiss Kotetsu, to hug and touch him, to be held by him. She had a craving for physical affection but she had to accept that he just wasn't ready for that. She had to be patient and let them take things one step at a time.

 

-End of Chapter-


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